Metal Button Decorative Surface via Selective Plating and Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating metal components with decorative patterns, such as buttons and slide fasteners, are limited in achieving unique, planar or curved compressed surfaces with specific coating material distributions, as they cannot be applied to all types of metal components and lack versatility in pattern design.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a multi-face part with small sectional faces and ridges is coated with a contrasting material, where the coating is removed from the ridges and remains on the faces, followed by compression to form a decorative surface with small sectional parts and boundary areas, allowing for a novel pattern on a gently planar or curved surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional methods like printing or inscription are used to create patterns on metal components, then the pattern can be applied, but the pattern is common and lacks uniqueness
Solution Approach 1:
The metal component surface is divided into multiple small sectional faces separated by ridges. Each small sectional face can be independently coated with coating material, allowing for segmented pattern design. This segmentation enables creation of unique patterns by selectively coating or removing coating from individual small sections, rather than applying uniform conventional patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the metal component surface are given different properties through selective coating. The coating material is applied to specific small sectional faces while being removed from ridge areas, creating local variations in appearance. This allows each region to have distinct visual characteristics, enabling versatile and unique pattern design while maintaining manufacturing precision through controlled local treatment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If barrel-polishing is used to remove coating material from corners, then an old colored metallic tone is achieved, but the method cannot be applied to buttons without projected parts and cannot create planar patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The coating material is applied to the entire surface including ridges and small sectional faces in advance. Then, the coating is selectively removed from ridge areas through polishing or other removal methods, while the coating remains on small sectional faces. This preliminary coating followed by selective removal enables the method to work on various button types regardless of whether they have projected parts, and allows precise control over the final pattern appearance.
3Manufacturing precision
If a coating material is applied uniformly across the surface, then complete coverage is achieved, but the unique compressed decorative surface with boundaries cannot be formed
Solution Approach 1:
The coating material is extracted or removed from specific ridge areas after initial uniform application. This selective removal creates boundaries between adjacent small sectional faces, while the coating remains on the small sectional faces themselves. The extraction process transforms uniform coverage into a structured pattern with distinct regions, enabling the formation of the unique compressed decorative surface with visible boundaries and ridges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the creation of metal components with unique, compressed decorative surfaces that differ from conventional patterns, offering a versatile and effective method for various metal components like buttons and slide fasteners, enhancing their aesthetic and functional appeal.
Implementation Method 1
a step B of coating the multi-face part with a coating material whose color differs from the ground color of the outside area
Implementation Method 2
a step D of compressing at least a part of the multi-face part to form the compressed decorative surface
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a metal component having a novel planner pattern which differs from patterns obtained such as by printing, inscription, and a method for forming the metal component. A multi-face part (12') is provided on a half-finished product (10') which finally becomes a metal decorative button (10). The multi-face part (12') includes a plurality of small sectional faces (12", 13'a) and ridges (13b, 13'b) obtusely joining between two adjacent small sectional faces (12", 13'a). An outside of the half-finished product (10') including the multi-face part (12", 13'a) is plated. Then, the half-finished product (10') is barrel-polished. Thereby, the plating on portions corresponding to the small sectional faces (12", 13'a) remains and the plating on portions corresponding to the ridges (13b, 13'b) is removed, exposing the ground color of the half-finished product (10'). Then, the multi-face part is partially compressed to form the metal decorative button (10) having a compressed decorative surface (13). The compressed decorative surface (13) is given a pattern composed of a plurality of small sectional parts (12a) corresponding to the small sectional faces (12", 13'a) with the plating left and boundaries (12b) corresponding to the ridges (13b, 13'b) with the plating removed.